OBJECTIVES: The lack of transparency in health care is one of the major obstacles to ensure rational and cost-effective use of health care resources. Reduction of costs for drugs is an important challenge for the statutory sickness funds in Germany. The Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) as one of the largest statutory sickness funds pays special attention to this development by offering an individualized service to their insurees called “Personal Drug Utilization Report“ (PDUR). This service informs patients about their drug use behaviours and is expected to discuss either with the physician or the pharmacist. PDUR aims to: 1) Improve patients` knowledge about their drug utilization; 2) influence their behaviours; 3)contribute to patients’ active participation in the medical decision process; and 4)strenghthen patients` compliance. METHODS: Based on pharmacy claims data, the patients receive their PDUR upon request that comprises all drugs and medical devices prescribed by a physician and dispensed by community pharmacies. Currently, PDUR covers the prescription data of the last 24 months and lists following items: product name, dispensing date, dispensing pharmacies, co-payments, central pharmaceutical number. RESULTS: PDUR has found a wide acceptance with the TK insurees: from August, 2003 to May, 2004 50,000 (17.9% of all eligible patients for this service) asked for their individual PDUR. CONCLUSIONS: Expanding health-orientated services, elaborating drug information systems and strengthening the patient role in the health care system are of importance for TK. The high grade of acceptance shows that PDUR fits the patientsx need and expectancies. PDUR is considered as a first module to implement other tools like an electronic patient dossier and will be supplemented by other health-related services. In the future, all PDUR will be accompanied by a satisfaction survey. First results of a health-economic evaluation are expected for the end of this year.